Ryanair and Aer Lingus monitor impact of coronavirus on travel to Italy

Italy temporarily banned public events in Lombardy and Veneto following a spike in the number of confirmed virus cases to 130 over the weekend

Almost a dozen towns in northern Italy are on lockdown as the worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe surpasses 100 and continues to grow. Video: Reuters

A Ryanair plane landing at Dublin airport with an Aer Lingus plane in the background. Both airlines say they are monitoring events in northern Italy, following a surge in the number of Coronavirus cases. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Irish airlines were keeping a watching brief on Sunday after Italian authorities announced closures in the north of the country following a surge in the number of coronavirus cases.

Italy temporarily banned public events in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto following a spike in the number of confirmed virus cases to 130 from three over the weekend.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus both fly to Milan in Lombardy. Ryanair said that flights to and from Milan were continuing as normal.

Aer Lingus said that it was “monitoring the situation and following all guidelines from the relevant authorities in relation to this issue”.